METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DRAW FORMING GLASS FIBERS

摘要

An apparatus for draw forming glass filaments includes a melt furnace having a bottom plate with a plurality of flow holes therein, each terminating in a conical nozzle tip. Cooling fins extend outwardly from a water pipe and are disposed between the rows of tips, and additional cooling is provided at least during the initial start-up period by air blown across the nozzle tips from a manifold disposed opposite the water pipe. With such an arrangement the flow hole diameters may be increased, which results in an exponential increase in the molten glass flow rate and filament production rate, while still achieving smooth initial and stable continuous filament forming conditions.